MEXICO CITY , May 14, 2012 /CNW/ - Mexico's Ministry of Tourism and the Mexico Tourism Board are pleased to welcome this week, the leaders of the T20 and the WTTC, to Merida and the Riviera Maya for two high level events: the 4th T20 Ministers of Tourism Meeting and the WTTC Regional Summit of the Americas.

Mexico's Secretary of Tourism, Gloria Guevara , emphasized that these two events are critical in strengthening the tourism sector as a pivotal driving force for the global economy.

Secretary Guevara stressed that these meetings will benefit the image of Mexico at an international level, and will be an opportunity to flaunt to the world Mexico's rich tourism offering including the Mayan World, the Gastronomic Routes, the Magical Towns, world renowned beaches and archeological sites.

The T20 meeting will be held on May 15th and 16th in Merida, Yucatan. At this forum, the Ministers of Tourism from the 20 most developed economies in the world will discuss the topic of "Tourism: an Opportunity to Generate jobs."

This meeting will be a key part of the lead up to the G20 Leaders Summit which will take place in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, on June 18th and 19th. The objective of the T20 Meeting is to devise proposals, harnessing the tourism industry to fuel job creation.

In addition to the Ministers of Tourism from the G20, visiting countries who will participate include: Denmark , Spain , Chile , Colombia , Cambodia , El Salvador , Guatemala , Jamaica and Peru ; as well as international organizations such as the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), International Labor Organization (ILO), International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), among others.

The UNWTO recently reported that in 2011, there was a flow of 980 million international tourists worldwide, representing a 4 percent increase from the previous year. Forecasts indicate that tourism will experience sustained development in the short to medium terms, reaching one billion international visitors in 2012 and 1.8 billion by 2030.

Mexico will also host the 1st World Tourism and Travel Council's Regional Summit of the Americas, from May 16th through 18th on the Riviera Maya, where more than 500 CEOs from international companies in the tourism industry will gather.

The WTTC is comprised of leaders in the travel and tourism industry globally, and comprises the top executives from the world's main tourism and travel companies.

The WTTC's objective is to strengthen the travel and tourism industry, which is responsible for generating 260 million jobs and contributes to nine percent of the world's GDP.

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Mexico To Welcome Leaders From The T20 And World Travel And Tourism Council (WTTC)